Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for attending the meeting today and engaging with the members. Before the Minister joined the meeting, we heard from Mr. Michael Kingston. He put a number of points to us and outlined concerns relating to the Marine Casualty Investigation Board. As I understand it, the board has jurisdiction over investigating accidents at sea and on water, reporting back to the Department and, arising from that, making recommendations for action so such accidents, one hopes, would not recur. It is the latter part on which I wish to focus. I understand what the Minister is saying. He is talking about a relatively small legislative measure for the continuity that is required. What Mr. Kingston outlined this morning, and what we need to hear from the Minister, is what express actions can be taken parallel to that to ensure that concerns can be addressed.

In terms of follow-up and actions, that is a key part of what the Marine Casualty Investigation Board does. In 2016, there was an accident in my county in which a volunteer member of the Irish Coast Guard, Caitríona Lucas, tragically lost her life off the coast of Kilkee. I will not go into that incident. However, arising from that, investigations occur. We have heard of many instances from Mr. Michael Kingston in recent days. An investigation gets under way and recommendations are brought forward to the Department. The fact is that in Kilkee there is still a 7.5 m Delta rigid inflatable boat, RIB. It is a perfect vessel and can take to the sea at any time. It is fully serviced, but it cannot take to the sea because the volunteer members of the Coast Guard are not fully trained. That recommendation was made to the Department in 2018 when all this was investigated.

We need to look at what Mr. Kingston said. The accident happens and it is a tragedy for a family. An investigation gets under way, it comes before the Department and an action should arise thereafter, but there are still too many units of the Coast Guard dotted around the country that have vessels which its personnel are not fully trained to take to sea, or if they take the vessel to sea they can only go 50 or 60 metres away from the harbour. They cannot go out to the outer waters.

I respect what the Minister says about the minor details that this legislation requires, but we are all really hoping for some assurances that the Minister can take or promise actions that will deal with some of the concerns Mr. Kingston has outlined and also deal with the example I have given today, where there are still shortcomings in terms of recommended actions being followed up in the Department.